Bulletin boards and display boards are commonly used to convey messages to patrons of stores, restaurants and the like to call attention to items on sale or daily specials. Such messages are typically written on blackboards or other erasable or disposable mediums because the messages are often transient in nature and tend to be in effect for relatively short periods of time before new messages replace them.
Illuminated signs are also frequently used to advertise or convey messages to customers because of their visually appealing appearance. However, such illuminated signs are incompatible for use as bulletin or display boards because conventional illuminated signs are not designed to be changed.
At least some display boards use gas discharge lamps to provide edge-lighting for the display board. Gas-discharge lamps, like fluorescent and neon lamps, are used because they provide a uniformly distributed and brightly colored light. However, gas-discharge lamps tend to consume large amounts of energy, generate heat, and have relatively short lives, among other things. Further, gas discharge tubes tend to provide insufficient illumination of printed and written messages depicted by the display board.
Some display boards use other sources of light, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), to provide edge lighting effects around the board. However, such display boards are not designed to provide maximum illumination of printed or hand-written messages depicted by the board.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists for a cost-efficient illuminated display board having a visually appealing appearance.